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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Friday, November 13, 2009

Foray to idyllic Kuala Medang in Pahang...

Peace be upon you all. Today I want to start making new articles in my blogspots regarding a trip to the East Coast made in the recent fasting month of Ramadhan. Come! :]





There are two main routes to get to the East Coast from the Klang Valley. Both pass through the Karak Highway but starts to fork near Bentong, Pahang. That's where some traffic went straight east to the coastal town of Kuantan before heading northwards to the state of Terengganu. Those heading for Kelantan would take a north-east route which passes through Raub. That's the route I took before deciding to make a diversion to an idyllic place called Kuala Medang...




From Raub one could take the usual busy route pass Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang, the nearest Kelantan town. An alternative route passes throuh Batu Talam on to Sungai Koyan where a right turn would bring one back to the Kuala Lipis-Gua Musang main road. In happened that the second route passes near my late grandma's house. After reaching Sungai Koyan, instead to turning right I felt like going to Kuala Medang as it is only another 10 km or so up north...


The last time I was in Kuala Medang was perhaps some 2 years earlier or more. Being almost 60 km north or Raub on a quite route which leads to a dead end off the mountains, it is not really a destination of choice for most people. But I am not most people. I love to go off the beaten path. So what is available there? The bridge ahead should give a clue...




Look... the locals like to hang out here...




For beneath the bridge lies the river Jelai, one of the most important river in Pahang!





Likewise we also made a stop. Oh, I forgot to tell, my wife was also around. And in tow was our baby who was then still in mummy's tummy, almost 8 months old inside that is...






A look to the east shows the river bending north-east. For the record it goes all the way to Kuala Lipis before joining the mightier Pahang river off Jerantut, the longest river in Peninsular Malaysia. A check using Google Earth shows the Jelai river weaving in an out the landscape for some 40 km to reach Kuala Lipis and another 50 km before reaching the area of Kuala Tembeling where the Tembeling river flows into it. For the record, the Tembeling river is the main riverine route to the National Park where lies 7,000-feet-plus-high Mount Tahan, the tallest peak in the Peninsular.

OK. Perhaps I need to correct my statement here. It seems that the Jelai river did not flow into another river... in fact after Kuala Tembeling, it simply becomes the Pahang river! Or is it the Tembeling which becomes the Pahang river while the Jelai flows into it? Just look at the satelitte picture yourselves and see what I mean...










Anyway here's a look at the village of Kuala Medang from the highest point off the bridge across the river Jelai...








Another look to the west. For the record upstream river Jelai is made of a number of rivers originating from the main mountain range of Banjaran Titiwangsa. In fact it weaves up for more than 70 km to the resort area of Cameron Highlands. I understand the waters at the famous Robinson Falls at Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands pour on into this river...









A look at the river and bridge from the village area. Soon it's time to continue the trip to the East Coast... so will continue the story-telling in another article. That's all... for the moment ya! :]



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